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My mother’s frosty tone didn’t faze me; it didn’t even ruffle a hair. I’d grown immune to their lack of respect and locked all care for them away a long time ago. After many years, and despite the changes that had happened in the world, they still didn’t accept me. I no longer gave a crap. I was better off without them. “Yes, Lucy and Blaine do. They invited me.” Undeterred by their reaction, I pasted on a warm smile and slid my hand onto the small of Tia’s back. I drew her forward and directed my hardened tone at my folks. “I’ve admired your efforts in avoiding me throughout the day. But so you can get your facts straight for your little whisper conventions and town gossip, I’d like you to meet Tia. My girlfriend. Tia, my parents, Esme and Warren.”

“I...I beg your pardon?” My mother blinked a gazillion times. She turned her ear toward me as if she hadn’t heard me correctly. “Your what?”

I kept my smile in place, but my insides twisted. I wanted to clip that ear of hers. She’d heard me perfectly fucking well. “Girlfriend.”

In a wave of hot air, her frozen aura melted. It was as if the sun had invaded the room.

“Oh...oh, my.” My mother’s thin smile grew wide and big. Her gaze brightened. Delight lit her face. She stood three inches taller and shook Tia’s hand, nearly shaking Tia’s arm from its socket. “It’s so lovely to meet you. My goodness. A girlfriend.”

I scrunched my hand into the back of Tia’s dress, wanting to tear her away from my mother’s clutches. I couldn’t believe my mother’s reaction. No wait...yes, I can. This was exactly what I’d expected.

“It’s about time you came to your senses, Lewis.” Dad’s tone was full of smack. “Hello, Tia.”

“Hi,” Tia said, but she grimaced, tilting her head to the side. “What do you mean, Lewis had to come to his senses?”

“Oh.” The blood drained from my father’s face. He swallowed, backpedaling at full speed. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to cause any problems, but have you had conversations about his previous relationships?”

Tia slipped her arm around my waist and clutched onto my hip, hard. Her voice jumped three notches, attracting the attention of the relatives standing close by. “Do you mean do I know Lewis was gay? Yes. Do I care? No. Lewis is amazing. It’s a shame you’ve missed out on having him in your life because you’ve never accepted his sexuality.”

My mother lifted her chin and strained every muscle on her face to form a smile. God, it looked so unnatural, out of place, and almost disturbing. I wasn’t falling for this bullshit.

“But that changes now he has a girlfriend.” Her soft voice, full of love, grated against my skin. With each word that spilled from her mouth, a foul taste rose in mine. Then she took a step toward me and held out her hands. “You can come home, my son.”

What. The Actual. Fuck?

I blocked her wrists and took a step back. Like a warrior, my heart stood its ground. The tattoo on my chest burned. “Are you fucking kidding? This doesn’t change anything. If you couldn’t love me when I was with men, why would you accept me now just because I’m with a woman?”

“Because you’ve found the right path.” Light shimmered in my father’s eyes. “You’ve changed and seen the error of your ways. You’re now with this beautiful young lady.”

Ergh! He was just as bad as my mother.

I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes. I took a few breaths to find my calm. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Tia’s touch and the scent of her perfume helped. “Yes, I’m with Tia. But I’m still me. Being gay was never an error, nor is being bisexual.” Never. Fire snaked through my veins. My calm slipped. “You should’ve loved me regardless of who I was with. You’ll never accept my past. I know that because you’ve cut Lee out of your life. You should’ve never sent him to conversion school. He’s gay. Always has been. You can’t force people to change.”

“But you did.” My father’s voice hardened.

Tia shook her head. An inferno blazed in her eyes. “Yes, he did.” She hooked her finger through the belt loop on my pants and drew my side against hers. “We both did. But it wasn’t forced upon us or drilled into us via some twisted therapy. We made the decision to be together. The more we got to know each other, the more our attraction became undeniable. I’m not some sweet girly-girl. Trust me. I’m a tomboy. I wear long pants and suits way more than skirts. I love my sports. I hang out with men more than women. The band Lewis plays with now is my life. I may be female in body, but don’t be fooled. Lewis and I get along so well because I’m more manly than half the men on this planet.”

“Hmm.” Grinning, I clutched her ass and kissed the side of her head. “When you put it like that, you are, aren’t you? I knew I loved you for a reason.”

“Shh.” My mother patted the air. Mortification flitted across her face. “Both of you. Lower your voices. Please.” She glanced around the room, throwing onlookers an innocent smile. What a freaking joke.

But Tia didn’t falter.

I loved her fire and passion, and was overwhelmed by her standing up for me. Just like Flint had done. I’d always fought my own battles, could fight them, but being surrounded by people who loved me made it easier.

She straightened and shook her head. “Lewis is one of the most incredible people I’ve ever known. He’s brilliantly talented. He loves me, his band, his friends, and adores his family members who accept him. But you’ve failed to see that. Who he takes to bed shouldn’t matter.”

“Well, it does.” The chill returned to my mother’s tone.

“Why?” Tia’s shoulders slumped. “How can loving someone, man or woman, be wrong?”

“So he’s corrupted your mind too,” my father snapped.

“No, love did.” Threading my hand beneath Tia’s long hair, I cradled the back of her neck. I gazed into her beautiful eyes. “When you meet someone who takes hold of your soul, consumes your every thought, blows your mind, fills your heart, makes you happy, and turns you into a better person than before, it doesn’t matter who that person is. I’ve found love in a completely unexpected, fabulous new package.”

Tia’s eyes glistened as she smiled. Leaning into me, she kissed my cheek. “I’m yours. Don’t forget it.”

“Never.” I turned to my parents. That thick, protective steel shield I’d set around my heart all those years ago remained firmly intact. “If you can’t accept Lee is gay, or who I was, am, or may be in the future, then I won’t ever be setting foot in your house again. I don’t need you in my life and haven’t for a long time. I have a family. A new one. One who doesn’t judge. Who loves me wholeheartedly. Unconditionally. And accepts who I am.”